CVE-2023-43609 in Rosemount GC370XA
Summary
by MITRE • 02/09/2024
In Emerson Rosemount GC370XA, GC700XA, and GC1500XA products, an unauthenticated user with network access could obtain access to sensitive information or cause a denial-of-service condition.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/10/2025
The CVE-2023-43609 vulnerability affects Emerson Rosemount GC370XA, GC700XA, and GC1500XA gas chromatograph products, representing a critical security flaw in industrial control systems that could have significant operational and safety implications. These devices are commonly deployed in process industries for gas analysis and monitoring applications where reliable and secure operation is paramount. The vulnerability stems from insufficient authentication mechanisms that allow unauthorized network access to sensitive system information and operational controls. This weakness creates a pathway for malicious actors to potentially disrupt critical industrial processes or gain unauthorized insights into system configurations and data.
The technical flaw manifests as an authentication bypass vulnerability that exists within the network communication protocols of these gas chromatograph devices. Attackers with simple network access can exploit this weakness to establish unauthorized connections and extract sensitive operational data, system parameters, or configuration information that should remain protected. The vulnerability falls under CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication issues in software systems, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1110.003 for credential access through unsecured network protocols. The lack of proper authentication mechanisms means that any user with network connectivity to the affected devices can potentially access system resources without providing valid credentials, creating a significant risk for industrial environments where unauthorized access could lead to process disruption or safety hazards.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it could potentially lead to denial-of-service conditions that compromise the availability of critical gas analysis services. When an attacker can cause denial-of-service through unauthenticated access, it creates cascading effects in industrial processes where continuous monitoring and analysis are required. The vulnerability particularly affects environments where these devices are integrated into larger control systems, as unauthorized access could enable attackers to manipulate system states or disrupt data flow to supervisory control and data acquisition systems. This scenario could result in production inefficiencies, safety risks, or regulatory compliance issues in industries such as oil and gas, chemical processing, or pharmaceutical manufacturing where these devices play crucial roles in process monitoring and quality control.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation to isolate affected devices from general network access, deployment of firewalls and access control lists to restrict communication to authorized endpoints only, and implementation of network monitoring to detect suspicious access patterns. Device vendors should provide firmware updates with proper authentication mechanisms and secure communication protocols to address this vulnerability. The mitigation strategy should also include regular security assessments of industrial control systems to identify similar authentication weaknesses and ensure that network access controls are properly configured. Compliance with standards such as NIST SP 800-82 for industrial control systems security and IEC 62443 for industrial automation and control systems should be maintained to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in the future.